If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident, you may be able to file a claim to recover compensation for your medical bills and other expenses. The first step will be to meet with an experienced personal injury attorney to discuss your case. If you have never talked to a personal injury lawyer, you will want to know how to get the information you need from your meeting. What should I ask during my personal injury lawyer consultation?
Don’t Delay Scheduling Your Consultation
Personal injuries can happen in a variety of settings. For example, you may have been hurt in a car accident or after taking a fall. There may also be a reason to believe that your medical provider neglected your care.
If you were injured due to another party’s negligence, you may be able to file suit and pursue compensation for your damages. However, the law limits the time you have to act. Therefore, you will want to schedule a consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible.
Preparing for Your Personal Injury Consultation
Gather Documentation and Information
Once you have scheduled your consultation, you will want to gather important documentation and information to discuss during your meeting. This may include items such as:
- Hospital bills
- Doctor’s bills
- Photos of your injuries
- Lost wage information
- Photos of the scene of the accident
- Accident photos
Witness Information and Notes
You will also want to get any witness information that you may have acquired. For instance, you may have the names and contact details of eyewitnesses to the accident. Additionally, if you have prepared notes regarding your experiences, you should bring those to your appointment as well. If you don’t have notes, you may want to write down your recollection and other facts you believe to be relevant to your claim. You can examine this documentation and information with the lawyer during your personal injury consultation.
A List of Prepared Questions
It may also be a good idea to write down questions that you have for your attorney before your meeting. Although you may think you will remember everything you want to ask, it’s very possible you could forget something during your consultation. Therefore, it may help to bring a list of questions to reference during your meeting.
Tell the Truth
Meeting with a personal injury lawyer is essential to evaluating your potential claim. However, the lawyer will only be able to assess the information they are provided. Therefore, it’s imperative that you tell the personal injury attorney the truth about your accident.
It’s human nature to want to present the facts in the light most favorable to you. However, it’s important to tell your attorney all of the relevant information about what occurred so that they can provide you with an accurate and honest evaluation of your potential case.
Don’t be Afraid to Ask Questions
For some, meeting with a personal injury attorney may be intimidating. It may also be overwhelming to talk about such a traumatic event with a stranger. This can be especially true for those who have suffered severe physical or emotional injuries that are still impacting their well-being and ability to function. It may help to remember that the attorney is there to assist you and wants you to feel comfortable with them.
Your personal injury lawyer will ask you several questions to learn more about your accident and possible damages. It’s okay to stop them during the process to ask your own questions. You can also ask questions at the end of your consultation.
This meeting is for your benefit, and you should be able to use it to get the information you need.
You may want to ask questions such as:
- How much experience does the attorney have with New York personal injury cases?
- Has the attorney tried or settled cases like yours before?
- How do they assess their fees?
How likely is settlement?
- What damages may be available for your injuries?
- What types of claims do they think you have?
- What will happen at different case stages?
- How should you manage interactions with the insurance company?
Don’t be afraid to ask what you want to know. There are no wrong questions, and the lawyer is there to help you understand the process. They expect you make inquiries.
Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
If your loved one has been injured due to negligence, you should schedule a free consultation with the experienced attorneys at Bonina & Bonina, PC. Call us at 1888-MEDLAW1 or contact us online for a free consultation. We have experience helping clients with negligence cases, and we can explain your options and help you decide what actions you should take. At Bonina & Bonina, PC, we come to work every day believing that there should be equal justice for all. Se Habla Espaňol. Home and hospital visits are available.